By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
KENNESAW, Ga. – Timely pitching, impressive defense and some clutch scoring proved enough for the Tennessee Tech baseball team to collect a mid-week, road victory Wednesday evening, as the Golden Eagles (7-8) held on for a 6-5 win at first-time opponent Kennesaw State (7-10).
First-time starters Nick Osborne and Mason Ward put together a fine pitcher's duel early, with the Tech hurler holding the edge in most categories. Osborne tossed five and third inning, baiting the Kennesaw bats into early hacks. He held the Owls to just two hits and one unearned run while striking three and walking just one before exiting with one out in the sixth.
Ward tossed a solid game as well, lasting four and two thirds inning before limping off the field with what looked like a minor foot injury after attempting to cover first base on a two-run, infield single by Alex Junior. The Tech outfielder hit a slow roller to the Kennesaw first baseman, but the speed of the redshirt-freshman proved too much for Ward to beat out.
It was Tech who scored first in the contest, using Junior's single to plate the first two runs of the night. After making an unbelievable, over-the-shoulder, diving catch in foul territory to end the fourth inning, sophomore Trevor Putzig laced a double down the left field line with one out in the top of the fifth.
After a quick second out went to the Owl defense, fellow sophomore David Garza worked a seven-pitch walk to put runners on first and second. Both Putzig and Garza managed to steal third and second base, respectively, setting up Junior for his two-run single.
While Kennesaw State managed to scratch an unearned run in the sixth, plating one on a passed ball, Tech answered with its own single marker in the top of the seventh. Following a leadoff double down the left field line from Chris Brown and a four-pitch walk issued to Putzig, McDonough, Ga. native Kevin Strohschein ripped a single to left field, driving in Brown to give his team a 3-1 lead.
The Owls answered right back in the bottom half, however, using a two-run shot off the bat of Alex Liquori to knot things at three runs apiece.
Once again, the Golden Eagle offense responded. Walks to Jake Farr and Ryan Flick set the Tech squad up with runners on first and second with one out. Brown followed by reaching first on a catcher's interference call before all three baserunners took an extra bag thanks to a wild pitch. The bad toss allowed Farr to cross to give Tech a 4-3 lead.
Putzig then cleaned up the rest of the runners, drilling a single up the middle that drove in both Brown and Flick for a 6-3 Golden Eagle lead.
After coming on in relief in the seventh inning and finishing up the final two outs of the frame, Kyle Godwin worked a scoreless eighth before yielding the hill. Kennesaw took advantage of the pitching change early, working back-to-back walks to start the frame.
Michael Wood entered with the tough situation, and on his second pitch, watched Liquori squeeze a double down the left field line that drove in both runners and cut the Tech lead to just one. The junior college transfer settled after the hit, striking out the next batter.
He set down the following Owl on strikes as well, but a wild pitch allowed the KSU runner to reach first safely and Liquori to advance to third. With a pinch hitter taking to the plate, Wood was able to force a ground ball to Putzig at third base. The youngster wisely flipped the ball to Brown at home plate, nabbing Liquori who attempted to tie the game on the grounder.
Wood finished off the Kennesaw comeback bid three pitches later, forcing a ground out to Farr at second base to pick up his first career save in the purple and gold and preserve an important victory for the Golden Eagles.
Godwin (2-0) took home his second win of the season, tossing one and two thirds innings with just one hit allowed and one strikeout. Offensively (and defensively really), Putzig was the leader, going 2-for-3 with a run scored, two RBI and a walk. Junior also tallied two RBI while Brown scored twice on a 1-for-3 day. Strohschein, who also robbed a home run in the fifth inning, finished 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk.
The Tech squad will return to Cookeville Friday for its first home Ohio Valley Conference series and first true night game, playing host to UT Martin under the lights of Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex in a 6 p.m. CT tilt. Game two will start at 2 p.m. on Saturday with the series finale set for a 1 p.m. first pitch on Sunday.
Photo by Tony Marable
